The Grammar and History of Maithili Ghazal

Contents Notice Anchinhar’s Words Section 1: Symbols used in ghazal, the definition of ghazal, and the early origin and development of ghazal Section 2: Technical terminology used in ghazal and its explanation; the definition of the sher/couplet Section 3: Explanation of the matla Section 4: Explanation of the radif Sections 5-12: Explanation of qafia, including ordinary qafia, stress-based qafia, visarga-based qafia, differences between the Maithili and Urdu alphabets, and why qafia is essential for ghazal. Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Section 10 Section 11 Section 12 Section 13: Explanation of the maqta Sections 14-20: Explanation of bahr and its examples. Topics include how to count short and long syllables; refutation of older grammarians’ views about conjunct consonants; the treatment of e, ai, o, au and related sounds in Maithili; permissible relaxations in ghazal rules; Maithili examples of different Arabic bahrs, including ghazals; other kinds of Maithili ghazals, such as children’s ghazal and devotional ghazal; rules of muzaif bahr; rendering Arabic bahr according to Maithili usage; and the relation between Sanskrit varnika metre and Arabic bahr. Section 14 Section 15 Section 16 Section 17 Section 18 Section 19 Section 20 Section 21: Which bahr would be best for Maithili, with scansion demonstrations of some Hindi-Urdu ghazals Section 22: An appeal to the editors of Maithili journals about what to keep in mind while publishing ghazals; the language of ghazal, its feeling and subject matter, its music, and its subdivisions Section 23: The qualities and faults of ghazal; the difference between rhymed and metrical poetry; the poetics of ghazal review; and the personality and yogic aspect of the ghazal writer Section 24: Forms of shayari other than ghazal Section 25: The tradition and history of Maithili ghazal Apart from these twenty-five sections, there is an appendix containing images and details of various certificates of honour issued by Anchinhar Akhar. It also includes an account of English-language ghazals written by Maithili ghazal writers. Appendix. It is, however, a matter of sadness that even after so much churning, we have still not been able to begin Ghazal Day. Appendix 1: Certificate for the “Ghazal Kamla-Koshi-Bagmati-Mahananda” honour Appendix 2: On the death anniversary of Pandit Jeevan Jha, which falls in May, an annual honour will be given under the name “Pandit Jeevan Jha Lifetime Achievement Ghazal Honour” Appendix 3: English-language ghazals written by Maithili ghazal writers Introduction: Ashish Anchinhar